Education Conference Invitation Letter

I am pleased to invite you to participate in an Education Conference that I will host in Hanoi, Vietnam, on January 24-25, 2008, at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel.

This Conference, titled American Support for Education in Vietnam: A Brainstorming Session for American 'Stakeholders,' is designed to be a forum for American "stakeholders" in the area of education in Vietnam to discuss how American private sector-public sector cooperation could enhance the efforts of all participants to reach their educational goals. Specifically, the Conference will enable representatives of American universities, American companies with training or educational programs, American NGOs active in education, and U.S. Government educational programs such as the Fulbright Program to generate ideas and action plans about how best to progress toward three principal goals:

A significant increase in the flow of Vietnamese students to the United States;

More and deeper linkages between American and Vietnamese universities; and,

Enhanced public sector-private sector cooperation to meet the needs of American companies in Vietnam.

The Conference will include a reception at which participants will have the chance to meet officials from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and representatives from Vietnamese universities. MOET leaders may participate in some manner, but this Conference is primarily intended to be an event for Americans to network, brainstorm, share new and discuss how to improve on-going initiatives.

Participants interested in giving formal presentations on their organization's educational activities in Vietnam in addition to participating in the general discussions can contact Public Affairs Officer Jim Warren, at WarrenJA@state.gov.

There is no charge for participation, but the U.S. Embassy is not able to cover the cost of travel to Hanoi or accommodations for participants. I hope and expect, however, that you will find the event to be worth the time and expense involved. Already more than 12 American universities and other educational organizations, plus a number of major companies, have expressed a strong interest in attending. I look forward to very fruitful discussions that will benefit all participants.

If you are unable to attend, I would be pleased to share with you the Conference Report, which will note the issues discussed and ideas generated at the Conference.